International Cultures Day

At least seventeen different cultures will be represented at this year’s Hawke’s Bay
International Cultures Day. 

The event, which is in its tenth year, takes place on Saturday 8 March at Cornwall Park in
Hastings. It runs from 12 noon until 5pm. 

Sally Russell, who organises the event, said it provided a perfect opportunity for whole
families to celebrate their own culture, as well as the cultures of others. 

“We’ve got food stalls, performances and information available from all over the world.
From Thai to the Cook Islands, from Dutch to Japanese we have a whole range of
amazing cultures represented. This is a family-friendly and very welcoming event,” said
Ms Russell. 

Two cultures represented have a special link to Hawke’s Bay. Groups from the Solomon
Islands and from Vanuatu will perform. Both countries have people working here during
Hawke’s Bay’s busy harvest season. 

“This is our chance to give our seasonal workers a big Hawke’s Bay welcome. We depend
on these people during this time of year and we want to make them feel as at home as
possible,” said Ms Russell. 

The following groups will be represented at International Cultures Day: Maori, Thai,
Bangladeshi, Chinese, Cook Islands, Dutch, Philippines, Scottish, Samoan, Kiribati, India,
Japanese, English, Tongan, Russian cultures, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.